Abstract
Taro [Colocasia esculenta (L) Schott] is mainly produced in Africa by small holder farmers and plays an important role in the livelihood of millions of poor people in less developed countries. The genetic diversity of East African taro has not been determined. This study utilizes six microsatellite primers to analyze five populations of taro from three different regions of East Africa. Plant material consisted of 98 taro cultivars obtained from East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda). Principal component analysis of microsatellite data indicated variation but did not show any distinct structure. Population diversity estimate was relatively low with the highest being 0.27, for accessions sourced from Lake Victoria basin. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed most variation among individuals within population at 79%. Nei’s genetic distance showed that relatedness is not based on geographical proximity. Based on these findings, this study proposes establishment of a regional collection that will be conserved and ensure a broad genetic base for available varieties and enable development of improved varieties through breeding programmes. Key words: Genetic diversity, simple sequence repeats (SSRs), taro.
Highlights
Taro, Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott is a member of the plant family Araceae
This study aims to quantify the level of genetic diversity and distribution of taro germplasm within the East African region SSR molecular markers
The highest proportion of percentage polymorphic loci was found in taro from Lake Victoria basin while the lowest was found in Central Kenyan taro (Kigoi variety)
Summary
Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott is a member of the plant family Araceae. It is one of the most important food crops worldwide. Taro is a traditional root crop of the tropics grown for its edible corms and leaves, and is believed to be one of the earliest cultivated root crops in the world (Plucknett, 1976). Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) records indicating that taro production has doubled over the past decade (FAOSTAT, 2000), and it is the fifth mostconsumed root vegetable worldwide. Taro plays an important role in the livelihood of millions of relatively poor people in less developed countries. Taro leaves and corms are used for human food in most producing countries.
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